Assessment of the presence of some coronary heart disease risk factors in the Roma minority of Northwestern Croatia

    Authors

    Abstract

    **Objective:** To evaluate the presence of certain risk factors of coronary disease, age, gender, psychosocial and educational status among the Roma minority. **Patients and Methods:** Cross-sectional research included 466 patients hospitalized in the University Hospital Dubrava under the working diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome. All patients underwent coronarography, and by ethnicity they were divided into two groups, Roma (97) and non-Roma (369). Within each group the presence of selected risk factors is determined. The data were collected from medical records and processed by statistical parameter tests of independent variables. **Results:** Among the groups, Roma vs. non-Roma there was no statistically significant difference in sex representation (67.01% m, 32.99% f vs. 69.65% m, 30.35% f), but in other categories the differences were significant. The average age of Roma was 54.47 (26-75) vs. 59.51 (32-90), without / primary education had 64.95% vs. 20.1%, high school 31.96% vs. 59.89%, faculty 3.09% vs. 20.01%. Psychotic disorders had 21.65% Roma vs. 13.55% and predominated anxiety-depressive syndrome 95.24% vs. 70%. **Conclusion:** Our research has shown that Roma patients with coronary heart disease are on average younger adults with significant prevalence of psychological disorders, predominantly anxiety-depressive, and low educational status compared to non-Roma population. These findings open up the possibility of new research and implements a plan of ethnically-oriented preventive strategies. (1, 2)

    Keywords

    Roma, coronary artery disease, risk factors

    DOI

    https://doi.org/10.15836/ccar2018.436

    Literature

    1. Zeljko H, Skarić-Jurić T, Narancic NS, Salihović MP, Klarić IM, Barbalić M, et al. Traditional CVD Risk Factors and Socio-Economic Deprivation in Roma Minority Population of Croatia. Coll Antropol. 2008 Sep;32(3):667–76. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18982735/
    2. Masseria C, Mladovsky P, Hernandez-Quevedo C. The socio-economic determinants of the health status of Roma in comparison with non-Roma in Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania. Eur J Public Health. 2010 Oct;20(5):549–54. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckq102
    Cardiologia Croatica
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    Assessment of the presence of some coronary heart disease risk factors in the Roma minority of Northwestern Croatia

    Extended Abstract
    Issue11-12
    Published
    Pages436
    PDF via DOIhttps://doi.org/10.15836/ccar2018.436
    Roma
    coronary artery disease
    risk factors

    Authors

    Vanja Hulak-Karlak*ORCIDKlinička bolnica Dubrava, Zagreb, Hrvatska
    Ivana JurinORCIDKlinička bolnica Dubrava, Zagreb, Hrvatska
    Miroslav RagužORCIDKlinička bolnica Dubrava, Zagreb, Hrvatska
    Boris StarčevićORCIDKlinička bolnica Dubrava, Zagreb, Hrvatska

    *Correspondence email: vanjahulak@me.com

    Abstract

    **Objective:** To evaluate the presence of certain risk factors of coronary disease, age, gender, psychosocial and educational status among the Roma minority. **Patients and Methods:** Cross-sectional research included 466 patients hospitalized in the University Hospital Dubrava under the working diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome. All patients underwent coronarography, and by ethnicity they were divided into two groups, Roma (97) and non-Roma (369). Within each group the presence of selected risk factors is determined. The data were collected from medical records and processed by statistical parameter tests of independent variables. **Results:** Among the groups, Roma vs. non-Roma there was no statistically significant difference in sex representation (67.01% m, 32.99% f vs. 69.65% m, 30.35% f), but in other categories the differences were significant. The average age of Roma was 54.47 (26-75) vs. 59.51 (32-90), without / primary education had 64.95% vs. 20.1%, high school 31.96% vs. 59.89%, faculty 3.09% vs. 20.01%. Psychotic disorders had 21.65% Roma vs. 13.55% and predominated anxiety-depressive syndrome 95.24% vs. 70%. **Conclusion:** Our research has shown that Roma patients with coronary heart disease are on average younger adults with significant prevalence of psychological disorders, predominantly anxiety-depressive, and low educational status compared to non-Roma population. These findings open up the possibility of new research and implements a plan of ethnically-oriented preventive strategies. (1, 2)

    Literature

    1. 1.
      Zeljko H, Skarić-Jurić T, Narancic NS, Salihović MP, Klarić IM, Barbalić M, et al. Traditional CVD Risk Factors and Socio-Economic Deprivation in Roma Minority Population of Croatia. Coll Antropol. 2008 Sep;32(3):667–76.PubMed
    2. 2.
      Masseria C, Mladovsky P, Hernandez-Quevedo C. The socio-economic determinants of the health status of Roma in comparison with non-Roma in Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania. Eur J Public Health. 2010 Oct;20(5):549–54.DOI